Escape, Part 2: Confrontation
The Book One finale of Alone |editor = |airdate = September 12, 2010 |prev = Escape, Part 1: Shards of Glass |next = The Outside }} Overview The Leader intercepts Leah on her way out of Uluru. Showdown Leah jumped down from the jeep, taking the shield of glass with her. "This ends now Leah. You've done enough already, but give up now and we will have mercy on you." the Leader demanded. "'Mercy'? Then what's the rest of my life here been? Mercy? Care? You meant well?" "Our intentions are good Leah, you're just being stubborn." "I'm not stubborn, I'm right! You have no right to taking away my life, all of our lives! We had something where we were! Families, children, friends, happiness, and you took it away from us because of something we can't control! You have no good intentions, it's simply stupid paranoia!" "You don't understand Leah." "No you don't! We aren't a menace, we're simply life. Benders have been around since beginningless time. You can't control us all!" "We can try." "No, if you fail you just kill them all! Nothing matters to you people! Money, resources, lives, it's all meaningless to you as long as you maintain a 'perfect' society! But it's not perfect! Humanity fights enough without us anyway. What's the point of keeping us locked up here if the rest of society fights already?" "Do you have any idea what people, leaders would do to control you? There would be civil war without end to fight for your loyalty and powers. Espiecally you Leah. Too many lives would be lost just to have you in a country's arsenal. Keeping all of you is for the better of society." "It's cruel and wrong! And you've been in charge of all of it. Don't you see? You could end all of it, right now. You could return us, fix the scars on our hearts and of the people you've affected. Just look at my mother. She had depression for weeks because you made it look like I was killed." "But returning now would only hurt her more. Don't you think that by remaining here, you can really allow your mother to move on for good?" "She's still looking for me, I know it." "She's moving on Leah. She's come to accept that you're gone for good, but why can't you just accept your fate and remain here?" "Because I'd be locked up for eight years instead of four after this." "We'd make it work Leah." "No, I'd rather die than return there." "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to convince you?" "There's nothing left for me here. I'll either leave here today or die trying." "So be it Leah." And with that, the Leader shattered the high wall around them, launching the pieces at Leah. She retaliated by creating a dome of glass, the earth shards bouncing and shattering off of the dome. He swirled his arms in a wide fashion, vibrating the ground under and around Leah. Suddenly, the very earth itself moved in an enormous whirlpool, pulling the glass dome into it's depths. Leah launched herself out of the hole, now having to rely on the natural elements. Leah shot a stream of fire at the Leader, who swiped it away effortlessly and launched one of his own, larger and more consuming. Leah dived into the earth, bringing herself back up along with several pillars that pushed the Leader several feet away. Using the pillars to his advantage, he started jumping between them, firing minute fire lashes at Leah. Leah dove down again, but the Leader was prepared and sunk the rest of the earth down to the level she was hiding at. Taking her surprise, the Leader conjured a pinwheel of fire at her. Leah dodged it, only to find it unraveling and spinning rapidly, spreading the fire everywhere. The heat began to quickly rise, Leah was drenched in sweat. Using her sweat as a weapon, she froze it and began firing at the Leader, who broke them dead in their tracks with a earth wall. He then rode the wall, flipping it over and over, trying to crush Leah. Leah retreated the base of the cliff wall near the tunnel. Spotting a waterfall left behind from a rainstorm, she took control and unleashed it's full fury at him. The Leader looked intimdated for a moment, but then made a vortex of fire, incinerating the fire and leaving him behind a smokescreen. Waiting for a strike to come, Leah walked forward uncertainly. Taking another step, her foot sunk into the ground up to her knees. Leah struggeled to free it, trying to remember what Don had told her. Terror flooded her stomach as the remaining Enforcers guarding the prison emerged from the tunnel, surrounding her. The Leader parted the smoke cloud, entering the circle of his minions. "We warned you Leah. Nothing can stop us. Not the free benders, not ethics or morals, and espiecally not the 'mighty' avatar. You give us no choice Leah. Men, kill the Avatar." Tears flooded down Leah's face as the Enforcers prepared to unleash their fatal attacks. Their attack was cut short however, as the edges of Leah's eyes took on a familiar glow. Wind howled around them as Leah shattered the ground holding her and rose above them in a tornado of earth. "Have no fear men! Destroy her!" the Leader howled above the wind and dust. Leah raised the jeep parked nearby, then contorted and shattered it. Taking the shards, she sent them, piercing the Enforcers nearby. Taking up some of the nearby cliff wall, she then rained boulders down upon them, crushing some while others ran for cover. The Leader stood nearby, waiting. After Leah's tirade was over, she returned to normal ground level, collapsing in exhaustion. The Leader returned, walking triumphantly. Leah awoke, her limbs chained in the earth. "Your past lives can't save you Leah. Perhaps your successor will be more cooperative." The Leader moved his fingers in a swirling motion, sparks gathering at the tips while Leah watched, trying to escape in vain. All of her plans, her practice, her determination, gone. All in vain. Now she would die for a cause she would never live to see accomplished. The Leader stopped his motion, preparing to shoot the sky's fury at Leah. Before he did though, another hand shot out betweent the sparks and grabbed his. A figure in the dust traced his fingers from the Leaders, down through his stomach, then back out the other arm. The lightning shot out from the figures fingers to explode on the cliff wall. The sonic boom echoed out throughout the desert, along with the plume of smoke rising into the sky with the fires. The figure let go, blasting the Leader with an air gust. The wind pushed the Leader several feet away, landing in a heap. Using concussive air blasts, the figure shattered the earth's hold on Leah. Leah stood up, looking at the man, surprised to see; "Adrian?!" Leah asked increduously. "Yes Leah. Are you alright?" Adrian asked, tired out. "Yes, but how? How are you here, how did you do that?" "Leah, I don't think you have any idea how much attention your attempt gathered in the rest of the compound. There were no guards left at the prison to watch the rest of us, so it was effortless to slip out. I figured you could use some help." "But how did you do that? Only firebenders can create lightning." "''Create, but not manipulate. The control and flow of energy does not belong to any one element Leah. If you let the energy in your own body flow, other energy will follow it. But this is not the time, you need to go." "But Adrian, what about you?" "Don't worry about me Leah. You need to go. Go to the airbending colony in New York, and train from them. Your pack is over there, but you need to go NOW." Leah ran to pick up her pack, taking one last look at Adrian. She dove into the earth, heading northeast. The Leader picked himself up, looking around for Leah. With her nowhere in sight, he screamed at the sky and at Adrian in rage. Morgan exited the tunnel, ready to help but too late. Morgan detained Adrian, binding his hands. "I'm sorry sir, I was too late but.." "SILENCE. Take the Elite and follow her. She's headed to New York to find the airbenders. But first, take care of him. You know what to do." Morgan took Adrian aside, the ground vibrating from their position. After Morgan was done, he did the same to the Leader, who emerged exhausted but victorious. The Leader launched himself to the top of Uluru. Using the same technique, he shot a bolt of lightning into the sky, signalling the Enforcers guarding Alice Springs. The Avatar has escaped. Production Notes * }} please Category:Alone Category:Chapters Category:Book 1: Glass